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Farmers cry over low lemon price

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-02-23
By: George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Farmers cried over low lemon prices, which dropped to NT$14 per kilogram 6737208this winter from more than NT$20 and NT$30 in the previous two winters, saying they “don’t want to be farmers in their next lives.”

Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Su Chen-ching said in a Tuesday’s press conference that he had received quite a few appeals from local farmers, complaining about the low lemon purchasing prices offered by exporters that couldn’t compare to the near NT$100 per catty a few years ago when lemon was a hot commodity.

Su cited the farmers by saying the price is too low to break even.

The lemon prices are really low in this winter partly due to the increase of planting areas from 1,000 hectares to 2,000 hectares after the Morakot flood disaster, but mostly due to the exploitation of the exporters, Pingtung County’s Department of Agriculture said.

The exporters received lemon purchase orders of more than NT$60 per kilogram, but only bought from local farmers for more than NT$10 per kilogram, the department said.     [FULL  STORY]

‘Protect family’ referendum proposal rejected

Focus Taiwan
2016/02/23 16:01:31
By Tai Ya-chen and Y.F. Low

Taipei, Feb. 23 (CNA) A referendum proposal on the “protection of family”

Protestors against a proposal to revise the law ruling husband-and-wife relationships. CNA file photo.

Protestors against a proposal to revise the law ruling husband-and-wife relationships. CNA file photo.

was rejected by the Cabinet’s Referendum Review Committee Tuesday on the grounds that it failed to meet the relevant requirements.

The proposal was voted down by the committee 10-1. It would have asked voters if they agree that provisions regarding husband-and-wife relationships, consanguinity and the principles of human relations in the “family” part of the Civil Code cannot be amended unless the people give their consent via a referendum.

The development marked a setback for the Faith and Hope League, which has been promoting the referendum as part of its efforts against the legalization of same-sex marriage.     [FULL  STORY]

9th legislative session gets underway in Taiwan

Taiwan Today
Date: February 23, 2016

The ninth ROC Legislature commenced Feb. 19 in Taipei City, with ruling and

Lawmakers get down to business on the first day of the ninth ROC Legislature Feb. 19 in Taipei City. (UDN)

Lawmakers get down to business on the first day of the ninth ROC Legislature Feb. 19 in Taipei City. (UDN)

opposition lawmakers starting work on key bills shaping the nation’s future.

A total of 34 pieces of legislation is prioritized for deliberation by the majority Democratic Progressive Party. These include civil rights, cross-strait relations, disaster prevention and rescue, handover of the presidency, income tax reform and long-term care.

Legislator Ker Chien-ming, who doubles as DPP caucus whip, said the cross-strait agreement supervisory act will be debated and reviewed under the framework of the ROC Constitution.

Acts regarding political parties and disposal of party assets are also set for deliberation. Legislator Chen Ting-fei of the DPP and also caucus secretary-general said the bills are broadly based and aimed at promoting transparency.

The 113-seat Legislature comprises 68 lawmakers from the DPP, 35 from the KMT, five from the New Power Party, three from the People First Party and the rest independents. It is the first time the DPP has enjoyed a majority in the nation’s top lawmaking body.     [FULL  STORY]

Tsai touts development of biotech sector

WHISTLESTOP TOUR:The president-elect began what is to be a weeks-long tour of major industries nationwide with a visit to the Nangang Software Park in Taipei

Taipei Times
Date: Feb 24, 2016
By: Jake Chung / Staff writer, with CNA

President-elect Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday said her administration would

President elect Tsai Ing-wen, center, attends a biotechnology symposium at the Nangang Software Park in Taipei’s Nangang District yesterday. Photo: Chang Chia-wen, Taipei Times

President elect Tsai Ing-wen, center, attends a biotechnology symposium at the Nangang Software Park in Taipei’s Nangang District yesterday. Photo: Chang Chia-wen, Taipei Times

focus on making the biotechnology and medicine industry the future cornerstone of Taiwan’s economic growth.

She made the statement as she visited the Nangang Software Park in Taipei, the first stop of what is planned as a weeks-long tour of Taiwanese industries.

“We hope to learn the newest research and development directions of the industry to better coordinate support from the government and academia,” Tsai said, adding that the second objective was to look into what legal difficulties the industry has so that her government could help ameliorate the situation.

Accompanied by almost every member of her future policymaking team, Tsai said her visit embodied both the determination and confidence of her incoming administration to see the industry succeed.

The development of the biomedicine industry is something Taiwan must do, Tsai said.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan to ban partially hydrogenated oils in 2018

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/02/22
By: Lung Pei-ning and Evelyn Kao

Taipei, Feb. 22 (CNA) Taiwan’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on

CNA file photo

CNA file photo

Monday issued advance notice that it will ban partially hydrogenated oils — the primary dietary source of hazardous trans fats — in food products starting in 2018.

Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan passed an amendment to the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation in November 2015 to ban artificial trans fats from processed foods, with violators facing fines of up to NT$3 million (US$90,340).

Under the revised law, food manufacturers will have a three-year grace period to eliminate the cooking fat from their products.

According to standard administrative procedures, the FDA was required to give advance notice of the ban in early 2016 before a full ban is confirmed.     [FULL  STORY]

We can do without any more donations: Tainan City Mayor

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-02-22
By: George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Donations for the relief effort of the Feb. 6 earthquake in Tainan City have 6736934reached NT$3.5 billion, which is enough for the post-disaster reconstruction, and therefore people can stop making donations to the relief effort, Tainan City Mayor William Lai said on Monday.

Tainan City was hit hardest by the 6.4-magnitude earthquake, which left 117 dead, with the collapsed Weiguan residential building accounting for 115 deaths.

As of Friday last week, the total donations that have been deposited into the quake relief account reached NT$2.946 billion, Lai said. With donations that have been announced but not yet deposited, the total amount is NT$3.5 billion, the mayor added.     [FULL  STORY]

Hung pans proposal to remove Sun’s portraits

Taipei Times
Date: Feb 23, 2016
By: Stacy Hsu / Staff reporter

Former deputy legislative speaker Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) yesterday

Former deputy legislative speaker Hung Hsiu-chu speaks to reporters as she registers for the party chairperson by-election at the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) headquarters in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times

Former deputy legislative speaker Hung Hsiu-chu speaks to reporters as she registers for the party chairperson by-election at the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) headquarters in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times

lambasted a proposal to abolish a legal requirement that portraits of Republic of China (ROC) founding father Sun Yat-sen (孫逸仙) be displayed in public buildings, calling it an unwise move.

“It is an ill-considered proposal. Would you toss away the memorial tablets of your ancestors at home?” Hung said on the sidelines of a Lunar New Year greetings event at the KMT’s branch in New Taipei City’s Jhonghe District (中和) yesterday morning.

Hung was responding to reporters’ questions on Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Gao Jyh-peng’s (高志鵬) proposal on Saturday to remove the requirement and drop Sun’s designation as the nation’s “founding father.”

Gao said Sun’s portraits were reminiscent of one-party rule under the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) authoritarian regime and ran against democratic principles.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan Lantern Festival in Taoyuan sets 10 new records

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/02/22
By: Bien Chin-feng, Chiu Chun-chin and Elizabeth Hsu

Taipei, Feb. 22 (CNA) The 2016 Taiwan Lantern Festival, a two-week event 47660934that kicked off in Taoyuan Monday, is the largest of its kind in history in terms of the scale, the height of the main lantern, and the number of new records it has established.

There are 10 historic records related to the Taoyuan event, held in a Taiwan High-Speed Rail (THSR) special zone stretching from the THSR Qingpu Station Plaza to Qingtang Park. They include the centerpiece lantern, titled “Golden Monkey Brings Good Fortune.”

The monkey-shaped lantern stands at a height of 26 meters, the highest since the Tourism Bureau under the Ministry of Transportation and Communications began organizing the Taiwan Lantern Festival in 1990. It represents the year of the Monkey in the Chinese zodiac.     [FULL  STORY]

‘Deadpool’ craze spills over to Taipei crime report

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/02/18
By: Christie Chen

Taipei, Feb. 18 (CNA) Ryan Reynolds’ “Deadpool” is not only stirring up a

Photo courtesy of Taipei City Police Department

Photo courtesy of Taipei City Police Department

superhero craze and making headlines in entertainment news around the world, it has also seeped into crime reporting in Taipei.

The Taiwanese media, not necessarily known for its seriousness and professionalism in reporting, on Thursday compared a man who was arrested recently for robbing a convenience store in Taipei to the protagonist of the American superhero film.

“Superhero robs a convenience store!?” an Apple Daily article screamed, while TV network Eastern Broadcasting Co. titled its video news with the slightly more verbose: “Having poured his savings into visiting his girlfriend, Canadian man robs convenience store dressed as Deadpool.”

Apple Daily went on to write, in its usual breathless prose: “…but this Deadpool had no superpower. He was tied to a roadside tree by pedestrians and the store clerk until the police arrived. The handsome Deadpool was battered and exhausted.”     [FULL  STORY]

Yanshuei Beehive Fireworks Festival kicks off two-day bombardment tour

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-02-21
By: George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

The annual Yanshuei Beehive Fireworks Festival opened fireworks and 6736728sssslaunched the war god’s palanquin at the Yanshui Martial Temple on Sunday morning to start a two-day tour of receiving firecracker bombardments along the streets of Yangshuei District, Tainan City.

Firecrackers will be fired from “beehive artillery fortresses” or “Yanshuei firecracker walls” set up by the faithful and store owners.

After Tainan Deputy Mayor Yen Chun-tso presided over the fireworks opening ceremony and paid his respects to Guan Di, the god of war; two lines of firecrackers dangling from a remote control helicopter were fired and the god’s palanquin was heaved to begin the tour of blessing around the district and receiving bombardments.

Yanshui Martial Temple manager Lin Yi-ren said more than 200 beehive artillery fortresses will be fired on Feb. 21 and 22, with the main artillery fortress and a total of 600,000 firecrackers being set off at the Tainan Municipal Yanshuei Junior High School from 9 P.M. on Monday, the day of Lantern Festival.     [FULL  STORY]